1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of ligating anatomical tissue and, more particularly, to a method of ligating anatomical tissue using suture spring devices such as those described in my patent application Ser. No. 08/610,951, filed Mar. 5, 1996 and entitled "Suture Spring Device," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Closed or endoscopic operative procedures, also known as least-invasive procedures, have become extremely popular for use in many areas such as laparoscopy (pelviscopy), gastroentroscopy, laryngobronchoscopy and arthroscopy. In endoscopic operative procedures, access to an internal operative site in the body is gained through a relatively narrow or small size endoscopic portal establishing communication with the internal operative site from externally of the body. Accordingly, various instruments can be introduced at the operative site via the portal without the need for a skin incision of substantial size as is typically required for open procedures. Endoscopic procedures provide many benefits over open procedures including minimal invasiveness and trauma, fewer complications, shorter wound healing times, less patient discomfort, shorter hospitalization and rehabilitation times, cost savings and the ability to perform surgery without general anesthesia and in non-hospital or out-patient sites.
Ligating or tying anatomical tissue is a time consuming and tedious part of both endoscopic and non-endoscopic operative procedures due to the difficulty involved in tying or applying an occluding ligature to the anatomical tissue as is desirable and/or necessary in many various procedures. Ligating anatomical tissue is particularly difficult in endoscopic procedures due to the constraints on access to the operative site, the limited room for maneuverability at the operative site and the procedural or operational complexity required of many conventional endoscopic ligating instruments. Accordingly, the advantages of endoscopic procedures are sometimes outweighed by the disadvantages caused by the increased difficulty to ligate or tie and the increased length of time required to perform endoscopic procedures where such time is significantly extended due to the time required for ligation or tying.
Because endoscopic procedures are preferred over open procedures, much effort has been spent to develop instruments and techniques for facilitating anatomical tissue ligation. One technique, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,444 to Green, involves the use of a wire suture which is bent into a coiled shape about an occluded tubular member to hold the tubular member in the occluded state. The wire suture is formed of a ductile material which, when bent, will tend to remain in the bent condition and not contract further to compensate for shrinkage or other changes in the condition of the tubular member. Various other ligating devices or instruments have been proposed, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,762 to Bryan et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,774 to Perlin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,581 to Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,950 to Keys, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,252 to Friedland, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,373 to Stefanchik; however, no alternative technique has yet been well accepted by surgeons to produce the results obtained by conventional methods of ligating. Thus, there remains a great need for ligating techniques useful in endoscopic and open surgery that permit surgeons to ligate anatomical tissue in a time efficient, consistent and precise manner.